Do you run with your smart phone?

I do not run with a phone. I do leave a plan with someone of what general vicinity I am running in and when I plan to be back. I also write my name address, phone #, emergency contact info on my shoe. In today's society we just need to be free from technology and use running as an opportunity to be alone and actually have time to think for ourselves. How do you expect to experience that with even a small phone. That is just my opinion though as a single student athlete.

Captain Oblivious wrote:

Maybe there is an emergency with one of the kids or your wife while you are gone.

Oh, come on.

Are you also one of those worried Wandas who wants her kids to each have a cellphone at school, "in case of emergency"?

You will be back in 30-40. Maybe 60. Maybe 2 hours. Depending on your route an emergency call will get you back in, as a rough average, half of your run time.

The world will not stop if Father can't be reached.

Mind Runner wrote:

But last spring I got hurt pretty badly during one run. I really don't know what happened because I was knocked out and "woke up" in the hospital 6 hours later. I was fully conscious during that time (I was walking around and speaking to people) but I have no memory of those 6 hours.

That's not a phone problem.

That's a drug problem.

Typically when I go off on runs I just alert someone of where I'm going to be going, and when I should be back. Nonetheless, If I'm planning on running a trail that is not heavily traveled (and there are plenty around me), I might take a phone just in case. I used to run with my phone all the time for the sole reason of using an app that could tell me my distance/time (it was kind of a stupid thing to do, I know), but since I've gotten a GPS watch I only bring it for certain situations.

Here in Fresno during the summer it can get up to 115+ degrees and coverage is hard to come by during the times that I have to run. I use my Amphipod Air Stretch belt to carry my phone on runs longer than 10 miles during those conditions and whenever I drive up to the foothill trails to put in some mileage.

A Dad wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

Maybe there is an emergency with one of the kids or your wife while you are gone.

Oh, come on.

Are you also one of those worried Wandas who wants her kids to each have a cellphone at school, "in case of emergency"?

You will be back in 30-40. Maybe 60. Maybe 2 hours. Depending on your route an emergency call will get you back in, as a rough average, half of your run time.

The world will not stop if Father can't be reached.

Nope. I'd just like to know and a smartphone is not "bulky".

I also routinely go running in areas where I really do get lost and my run extends to three or four hours. I don't like choosing a route and explaining where I may be.

For me a phone is about the same as someone else putting a hat on.

Plus I've gotten some really cool nature pictures and video.

You never know when you might run into an Eastern Cougar or even a Sasquatch.

toro wrote:

I do have a car, a microwave an an indoor toilet.

And still don't need any of those for running, nor a mobile phone. (Well, maybe i'll drive to a good trail)

And there is the fact that it it detracts from running, not adds to it.

I don't have a GPS watch either but understand having one. It adds to the experience as you can track your runs better than before without being too clunky to take with you.

I understand how these days it feels weird to get in your car or go anywhere without your phone.

And how that could extend to running.

But I gotta leave the phone behind and just run.

It's freeing in a couple of ways.

I'm not sure how a phone can detract and a GPS can add to the experience of running.

See how it's all up to the individual as to what does what?

I have no desire for running to be something that needs to be tracked.

I wear a shoe pocket with a Road ID; has name, emergency contact, blood type. You can include whatever you like and the shoe pocket holds keys/money.

http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx

Yeah I do these days my job requires that I be able to be accessible so I do - on a positive note I was able to notify the gas company of the exact spot the other day of a gas leak, so maybe its not all bad...

I always take my phone for a number of reasons.

1. Track my run on runmeter

2. Always have GPS available. I've run on some trails in unfamiliar parks where the GPS has helped me get back on

track.

3. Able to answer the wife if she calls and wonders whether I'm lost

4. Call for help if I need it

5. Able to stop an photograph or video. I've seen two rattlers this year.

The one time I didn't take my phone was running in the

Mt. Washington area and really did get lost. Finally I followed a trail by a stream of water flowing down and arrived back at my car 2 1/2 hours later. My wife was beside herself.

6. If I happen to pass away on a run, maybe someone will identify me by my phone and call my wife before they steal my phone

That's it. I'm 71

I run with a small android phone, it only weighs a few ounces and use the myexerciselog app which tracks the run and has a nice built in log with custom graphs and reports.

Never in my life (I'm 53) have I run with a phone.

Captain Oblivious wrote:

You could say the same thing for any modern contrivance that is now commonplace.

Do you have a car? How about a microwave?

Do you have an outhouse or an indoor toilet?

It's only because smartphones are happening right now that people get all luddite on the technology despite having long since caved to other things without realizing it.

For the next generation a smartphone will be about as unique as a toaster.

I don't run with any of those things. I think there's this guy from the UK who became a bit of a local celebrity by running with a refrigerator strapped to his back.

how to use a cell in the gym

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kRMXW5OWc8

Dust wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

You could say the same thing for any modern contrivance that is now commonplace.

Do you have a car? How about a microwave?

Do you have an outhouse or an indoor toilet?

It's only because smartphones are happening right now that people get all luddite on the technology despite having long since caved to other things without realizing it.

For the next generation a smartphone will be about as unique as a toaster.

I don't run with any of those things. I think there's this guy from the UK who became a bit of a local celebrity by running with a refrigerator strapped to his back.

This is why people ridicule the strength of a typical runner. A phone is a bulky encumbrance for them.

Not good.

I carry a phone to use for GPS tracking. I don't particularly like carrying it (I just hold in my hand) and am looking to get a GPS instead. Any suggestions?

I also started another thread here

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5911312

I always carry my phone and track my miles on Charity Footprints app and donate my workouts to various charities. Obviously I am biased because I have developed this app :-).

For those of you who carry your phone on their runs please check out:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5911340

~ Rahul

What I like about this is that its really useful when you're dead because you couldn't reach help using a phone.Really kind of genius when you think about it.

No Phone wrote:

I wear a shoe pocket with a Road ID; has name, emergency contact, blood type. You can include whatever you like and the shoe pocket holds keys/money.

http://www.roadid.com/Common/default.aspx

I run with a ball of twine. I tie one end to my car and the other end to my wrist. If anyone needs to find me, they just follow the string. Much more precise than someone trying to triangulate my phone signal if I end up hurt.